Thomas J. Glynn

Contact Information

Brief Career Details

Graduated from NUI Galway in Experimental Physics (B.Sc.1968, M.Sc. 1970)
Ph.D in Laser Physics (Queen's University Belfast, 1974).
Postdoctoral researcher in the Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford (1974 -76).
Visiting researcher at University of Munich (1974).
Returned to join staff of NUI-Galway in 1976.
Visiting scientist in University of Wisconsin (Madison) for 4 months in 1981, and for 12-month sabbatical period 1982-83.
Short research visits to University of Lyon (1989), University of Buffalo (2001), and University of Toronto (2003).
Founder and director of the National Centre for Laser Applications (NCLA), which is located in the School of Physics.
Associate Professor of Physics (1995-2004).
Appointed Prof. of Experimental Physics (2004).
Elected to Board of Directors of SPIE (International Society for Optical Engineering)  2005-2007.
Elected SPIE Fellow (2008)

Research Interests

Research interests include laser spectroscopy, industrial applications of lasers, Raman scattering, laser applications in medicine, and physics teaching. Recent projects were aimed at improved understanding of interaction of high power lasers (ns and fs pulses) with a range of advanced materials.
Active in the development of industrial applications of lasers, the promotion of laser use in industry, and the expansion of the NCLA through courses, technical symposia, and major conferences.

Recent Publications

Investigation of the hydrophobic recovery of various polymeric biomaterials after 172 nm UV treatment using contact angle, surface free energy and XPS measurements.  Claire O’Connell, Richard Sherlock, Michael D. Ball, Balazs Aszalo´s-Kiss, Una Prendergast, Thomas J. Glynn.  Applied Surface Science 255, p. 4405–4413, (2009).

Langmuir probe investigation of surface contamination effects on metals during femtosecond laser ablation.  G.O. Williams, P.M. Mannion, G.M. O’Connor and T.J. Glynn. Applied Surface Science. 254(18): p. 5921-5926, (2008).

The mechanism of nanobump formation in femtosecond pulse laser nanostructuring of thin metal films.  D. S. Ivanov , B. Rethfeld, G. M. O’Connor, T. J. Glynn, A. N. Volkov and L.V. Zhigilei, Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing,  92,  p.791-796 (2008).

Expansion of a laser plume from a silicon wafer in a wide range of ambient gas pressures Volkov, A.N., O'Connor, G.M.,  Glynn, T.J., Lukyanov, G A., Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing,  92,  p. 927-932, (2008).

Langmuir Probe Investigation of Plasma Expansion in Femto- and Picosecond Laser Ablation of Selected Metals, P.T. Mannion, S.F. Favre, D.S. Ivanov, G.M. O'Connor, T.J. Glynn, J.G. Lunney, and B. Doggett,  J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 59, 753-757 (2007).

STEM (scanning transmission electron microscopy) analysis of femtosecond laser pulse induced damage to bulk silicon.  E. Coyne, J. Magee, P. Mannion, G. O’Connor, T.J. Glynn.  Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing 81(2): 371-378, (2005).

The effect of damage accumulation behaviour on ablation thresholds and damage morphology in  ultrafast laser micro-machining of common metals in air.   P.T. Mannion, J.Magee, E. Coyne, G.M. O’Connor, T.J. Glynn.   Applied Surface Science. 233, 275-287(2004),

Teaching Responsibilities and Interests

• Mechanics, waves, and vibrations,
• Lasers/applications, opto-electronics,
• Optical spectroscopy,
• Introductory Physics,
• Physics demonstrations at all levels,
• Working with school teachers on the promotion of Physics.